Pandas! In Chengdu

A week ago, for the National Holiday, we decided to go to Chengdu. The school didn't really want us to go as they're quite protective of us. But we were surprisingly safe the entire time. The only "bad" thing that happened was that when we got to the airport the cab driver drove around the block claiming it was the construction and our ride cost 70 yuan. Fortunately, we had anticipated being charged more, and 70 yuan is only like 12 dollars. And they told us the ride to the Panda Base would cost over 100 yuan and it ended up only being 54. We know to make the cab drivers restart the meter when we get in, and carrying a map in my lap helps as well. :)

Anyway, the Pandas were my highlight of the trip. Although I really enjoyed every second of the entire trip! It was incredible! And Chengdu felt like we were in America again with all the Caucasians we saw! Although many of them were European. In fact, there may have been more Europeans there than Americans!

 

Here is a picture of me with a Panda butt. That's about the best picture I could find that actually worked. It was difficult! Pandas sleep in the trees a lot in the most uncomfortable positions imaginable. Crazy!

We found this random sign, too. "No strinding." We couldn't couldn't figure out what it meant. Maybe no straying from the path? No standing?

They had red pandas too who were like the cutest little things ever. Seriously, I think red pandas are cuter than the black and whites cuz they're so playful and cute! One girl actually got to pet one because it walked right up to her! We walked along a path where they could do that! So cool!

Anyway, that's all about the Pandas. We also visited Du Fu's cottage (the beginning of Chinese literature) and the Wuhou shrine. I'll maybe write about those another time. We also ate some incredible food. And we ate more American food than we had in the last month combined. I got a Big Mac and we found a Papa Johns (which actually was not very good at all. The pizza here, even at Pizza Hut, just isn't the same since they don't really have cheese nor do they like tomato sauce). We usually get one Western meal a week here in Guiyang and it's always either KFC (which is really spicy so I don't like to go there as much), Pizza Hut, or Dicos (a Chinese version of KFC which has less spicy chicken, surprisingly. I think we're going there today since we all spent all our money on our trip and are now too poor to afford Pizza Hut).

We decided in all, we're glad we live in Guiyang and not Chengdu. While it was a great city to visit, it was definitely not as "Chinese" as Guiyang. We weren't immersed in the culture like we are here. Too many people spoke English there. It actually surprised us when someone actually spoke to us because we're so used to the "point and grunt" system. I really do love Guiyang, and I'm definitely gonna miss this place! Even if it's more difficult to live in. That makes it an adventure!

Cotton-Eyed Joe

(My pictures are at home, and I don't get to use the internet much at home, so still no pictures yet of the trip, but here's what happened today)

 

A few weeks ago, if you heard, the four of us English teachers were asked to "perform" something for Teacher Appreciation Day. After stressing for a while, knowing that we didn't know how to dance or sing or play any of the instruments they have here, we finally decided on Cotton Eyed Joe. This went over really well next to the Kung Fu performance and the incredible sing/dance routines that we heard some teachers had stayed up all night rehearsing. (that was sarcasm, just in case you missed it!)

Well, apparently they actually liked Cotton Eyed Joe. And the gym teacher (or somebody with power) decided the entire school should learn it. Long story short, every day for the past few weeks we've been asked to go outside during the schools "recess" time (it's not really recess, more of a midmorning workout from 9:50-10:20 every day) and dance with the kids on the field. Just with the 7th and 8th graders.

Today, they informed us that they wanted to take pictures and film our dance. So we went out on the field and they had us stand with the kids instead of in the bleachers above them. And they played the song and we danced. About halfway through the song, the gym teacher got on the loud speaker and said something in Chinese (while we were all still dancing). Then, suddenly, the next time we went to turn, all the kids turned the opposite direction! The kids were doing the same dance but in exactly the opposite direction with the opposite hand and opposite feet! This totally threw us off and we looked like we didn't know the dance at all for the last half of the song. After that is when Daisy decided to inform us that the school wanted the kids to get an "equal" workout so they switched directions half way through to use all of their muscles. Yeah, thanks for informing us.

Well, we ended up having to do the dance a few more times and we eventually got the hang of it. But seriously, you try doing the Cotton Eyed Joe backwards and see how easy it is! I'll give you a hint... it's not!

It does feel really, really cool though to go out and dance with over 300 kids doing the same dance that you taught them. They did it pretty well, too.

Summer Palace Pic -- With a Crowd!

This picture kills me. I love it! When we were in Beijing a few weeks ago, we all posed for this picture in the summer palace. Immediately, the people swarmed and jumped into our shot. It took me a minute to realize what was happening because it really felt like the paparazzi. The Chinese girls you see to the right and the one man to the left are definitely not a part of our group. But they really enjoyed taking pictures with us! And there were even more people just staring and taking photos just of us in general. Haha, it was impossible to get a group picture just of us. These people have no fear. Hilarious!

(I'm in the exact center, in the orchid shirt.)

 

 

Change of Perspective -- Wow!

The other day, I had to go to the bathroom while we were in town, so I ran into KFC real quick. When I came out, this conversation seriously happened:

Me: "Oh my gosh, that was the fanciest squatter ever!"
Kammi: "Oh, I know. The Pizza Hut bathroom was fancy too."
Me: "Yeah, it had toilet paper and everything!"
Kammi: "Did it have an automatic flush, too?"
Me: "Yes! And there was soap!"

It's funny how two months ago, in America, I would come home from work and just stick my hands under the faucet of my bathroom at the house fully expecting it to turn itself on because basically all bathrooms at Disney World are automatic and I was so used to using them. And yet, here, just a short month or two later, I'm ecstatic that the bathroom actually provided toilet paper! Despite the fact that it was still a squatter.

What a good life!

Snake Snack; Oh Look, an American!

Random Stories:

One of the first days we were here in Guiyang, I noticed some people riding by on a motorbike. Three Chinese people were crammed on there. Dumbfounded, I jokingly made the comment, “Haha, how many Chinese people can you fit on a motorbike?” Daisy overheard me, which I wasn’t expecting, and responded, quite seriously, “Oh five.” I looked at her shocked and amused and she continued, “Yes. You put one in front of the driver, and three behind. Maybe you can fit six, if you have a baby in a backpack.”

We were eating a fancy meal for the Teacher’s Day celebration. There was a new food that looked like a rice krispy treat except the “krispies” were these long thin round things shaped sort of like worms but they were light tan. I asked Daisy what is was and she responded, “It’s a sort of snake from Taiwan.” “This is a snake?” I asked, grossed out, and rethinking the bite I just took. “Yes, yes, a snake.” I started looking for the head, because Chinese people tend not to cut the heads off of their animals, when Kammi clarified, “Wait… there’s a snake inside this?” Daisy thought for a second and then said, “Ohhh, snack. Snack. I’m sorry. I meant snack.”

When we’re in a taxi on the way somewhere, we like to keep an eye out for the kids on the busses. When we’re stopped at a red light or something, a kid will look out the window and see us sitting in the taxi. Then they turn to a parent or friend and say something in Chinese, and soon both are looking out the window straight at us, staring. We can pretty much assume what they’re saying in Chinese is, “Look mom, an American!” We were just walking down the street just the other day when a little boy did that. I could see it in his face, as soon as he turned around and saw us. He grabbed his dads hand, pulled him close, and said something to him. Sure enough, just a second later the dad turned around and looked at us, smiled, and then continued walking.

Travails of a Primary School Teacher

I’ve been having quite a bit of trouble with one of the second grade classes lately. I mean these kids have been absolutely terrible and were spiraling downhill, quickly. It’s really sad when my first grade students behave better than second grade!

I finally told the teachers about this class and asked for help. Yesterday I went in and the kids actually apologized to me. The one boy who was the worst behaved kid in the class was actually much better. Still not “good” but definitely better. As long as the Chinese teachers were in there, the kids behaved very well. But then, after they left, it took about ten minutes for them to be bad again. One boy I sent out of the class and he was climbing the walls outside the classroom and opening the back door, messing with the kids, and then running away as soon as I started towards him. Of course, I didn’t even begin to chase him, but it was incredibly annoying, not to mention disruptive. Terrible. If I stood by the back door, he'd go in the front or bang on the door. And the kids don't pay attention as well when I walk around the class (which is funny cuz I always heard that teachers should walk around the class to keep attention).

Another issue with these kids (and it has happened in all my classes, including fourth grade) is that about once a day I end up with a student in tears. Sometimes they're crying that they miss their moms and dads, and sometimes the're crying because another student hurt them somehow. But sometimes, and this is most of the time, I seriously have absolutely no clue what they're crying about. One girl in my first grade class has done this twice now where she starts crying, and then that gets these two other girls crying. And I don't mean quiet crying, I mean loud sobbing wailing. And I have no clue what sparked it or what to do with it. But if I give them attention, I lose the rest of the class. And I can't leave to find a teacher because it'll take too long and I can't leave a class of forty 6 year olds unattended for that long. And I have no way of asking them what's wrong. So usually they just sit in a corner and cry. Which still disrupts the calss because everyone is staring and pointing, and sometimes running over to her for words of comfort (which is really sweet and I sometimes allow it, but sometimes that gets the whole class thinking they can run over and "help" and I lose everyone).

Learning Chinese hasn’t helped. I learned phrases like “be quiet” “listen” “stop” “repeat after me” etc. But the kids don’t respond to that. At first I thought my accent was just so bad they couldn’t understand. But every adult I’ve said things to says it’s fine. So I think the kids just aren’t expecting me to be speaking Chinese or something.

Today I finally had success with these kids though. Mostly. I never had to send a single kid out of the room which is kind of a big deal for this class. I did a lot more TPR exercises (total physical response, I’ve been reading about it online). Getting them to stand and sit and turn around. They still don’t get “Simon Says…” yet, but once they do I’m sure it’ll be a hit.

And I’ve learned that the kids LOVE it when you pick one of them to stand at the front and show the rest how to do it (stand, sit). I used to just stand up there myself, but it’s way more fun to pick a kid. Then I had some bouncy balls that I was throwing around the room getting kids to answer questions. “Would you rather have the big yellow ball? Or the small red one?” It worked well for a while. Until a kid stole one of the balls and chucked it at my head. I didn’t see who threw it either, but I could certainly narrow it down to two kids. We stopped playing immediately, unfortunately. That was the only notably bad behavior the whole class though which is a huge improvement!

As people usually tell you when things are hard, "It'll get better." This job will get easier, at least that's what I'm banking on. And as for the food tasting better? Well... I'll let you know if that ever happens. I did find some rice cakes that taste pretty good, though! (yep, you read it right, I've resorted to rice cakes as the best tasting food in this country. well, that and Pizza Hut)

Queuing -- Chinese Style

I think it's some sort of Chinese thing, but when I have activities that require students to raise their hands (which is all the time), my kids think it's okay to jump out of their seats and yell, "Let me try!!!!" in order for me to choose them. I'm pretty sure this behavior is reinforced in their Chinese classes, as it seems to be the Chinese "way" to be aggressive in order to get your way. That's why people don't bother waiting in lines, push ahead to get on the bus, drive over yellow lines, and allover don't understand the concept of taking turns and being patient.

 

Anyway, I've been working on unestablishing (word?) this behavior, as it's extremely annoying, gets the class very rowdy, and makes it so I can't hear anything. I refuse to call on students who are yelling and only choose the ones who are quietly, patiently, putting their hands in the air. I explain to the loud ones why I'm not choosing them, make the class be silent, etc. etc. You'd think that after two weeks of this the kids would get the hint. But no. In fact, some are getting worse. And today I almost burst out laughing in the middle of class as a student, who was so desperate because he really knew the answer, stood on his chair yelling louder as I ignored him, "Diannaaaa! Let me try! I looooove youuuuu!!!"

 

That got all the students started. "Dianna. I love you! Let me try! I love you!"

 

I had to turn around to keep them from seeing me laughing. As much as I love being told "I love you" (and I almost caved and chose him because, seriously, how cute is that?) I pointed at him and said "Thank you. I love you too. Be quiet. An jing! Then I can let you try."

 

I love these kids!